Water circulator and air moistener for internal-combustion engines



Sept. 11, 1928. 1,683,811 A. THOMSON WATER CIRCULATORAND AIR MOISTENER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 2, 1926 j 10- 6 A %%i Patented Sept. 11, 1928.

' UNITED STATES ARCHIIBALD THOMSON, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

FRANK A, HALL, or j PATENT Application filed August 2, 1926. Serial No. 126,668.

This invention pertains'to a device for attachmentto internal combustion engines. More particularly it pertains to a device to be connected between the radiator of an internal a combustion engine and'the'intake manifold of the latter whereby the Vapor created in the radiator may be carried to the combustion chamber of said engine for producing a smoother operation by humidifying the ex- 111 plosive mixture, lessening the carbon deposits, providing a cooler engine and furthermore by a peculiar arrangementof parts provide a forced water circulation through the enginehead' and radiator.

In addition to the above'advantages, an object of my inventionis that while providing for introducing vapor to the combustion chamber a perfect control} of the passage through which the vapor passes is made posm sible through the use of a valve operated in' conjunction with the usual'throttle-lever so that said passage is more or less constrictedaccording to the position of the-said throttle lever whereby engine action isma'intained at As its highest efficiency, particularly when used in automobiles.

from the following description aided by the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of an engine m) and radiator showingmy invention as used therewith.

Figure 2'is' an elevation of my invention, the-same adapted to be clamped between the flanges of the engines carburetor and intake manifold, part of which device is shown insection.- V

Figure 3 is a plan of the device shown in Figure 2, the same beingals'o'ini part section taken on line 33 of said Figure2'.

Figure 4 isa plan, much reduced in size,

of a device 1 as part ofthe carburetor andmanifoldflanges show ing the'dev-ice of Figures 2 and 3 bet-ween.

them and certain. lever connections Figures 5, 6 and 7 are elevations of a valve viewed from three difl'erent positions, and

Figure 8 is a vertical section of a: check valve.

It is well known, ofcourse, that aninternal combustion engine operates with greater powerand smoothness, ismore quiet and flexible, besides being coolerin operation, when moisture is" included with the gas charges. It is my purposeherein to make use of' the vapors of the radiator as the moisture to be drawn into the engine and at the same time This will be understood usual cap 9 of the; latter. the conduit opens into one automatically circulate the cooling water through the water system by the suction impulses of. the engine. In addition to this I control the passage through which the vapor is PfMIlOCl to the combustion chamber by means ot a valve operated automatically by the throttle-lever when and as the latter is ad justed so that gas charges taken throughthe carburetor will not be affected by too greatan opening of such vapor passage atsuch times as the engine is placed under greater load and which would reducethe' eifectiveness of the engine at such times.

In the drawing 1 designates the engine, 2 the radiator, and 3 and 4; the upper and lower water connections, respectively, connecting-the two. An air intake tube5 is connected into the upper water connection 3 and has a nozzle 6 directed toward the radia tor substantially asshown, such tube being installed in any suitable part of such connection 3. In this instance it is extended through the usual rubber hose 7 and is suit ably clamped thereto'in aleak proof manner; The outer upper end of the tube terminates some distance below the'top ofthe radiator and acts as the overflow for such radiator in addition to a further purpose to'be madev known later. By thus dropping the tube below the top of the radiator a space remain: tained in the latter for the accumulation of' vapor to be pipedto the engine. A conduit 8 extends at one end wellabove the water line in the radiator and may extend up intothe At its other end end of a T-coupling 10, there being a check-valve 11-, Figure 8, depending fromsaid coupling ld as shown inFig'ure 1. The said valve includes a seat- 12 against which a ball l3'is designedtofseat towardthe conduit 8 and isheld upon said" seat by a light spring 145 resting upon a" closure 15 havinganes'cape opening'lti'i Con nected at, one end into the T-coupling 10 above the check-valve is a conduit 17: whose other end extends to and has connection intoa passage 17 of a member 18 in the forinof' a plate clamped between the flan es Hand-20 of'the carburetor 21 and intake manifold 22y respectively; Said plate takes the general, form of outline of the flanges19,20, by pref erencemerely, and has a'central opening 23'- therethrough in. line wanna passage (not shown) ofboth said carburetor and manifold.

The plate also has a bore 24 below the open drawing of air desired vapor: mixture.

ing 23 whose axis parallels the walls of such plate. A valve 25 lies in said bore and is adapted to be oscillated therein, being of the form shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 That is to say,"it is tubular in form but closed at its top and provided with a stem 26 which extends through the opening and out through the top of the plate 18, a forked lever or arm 27, Figure 4, being afiixed to its extremity. Said valve has an opening 28 in its wall adapted to register with a passage 29 in the plate 18, Figure 3, such passage opening toward and into the passage 30 of the intake .manifold.- Part of the lower portion of the valve is cut away so that the described passage 17 may communicate with the valves bore in any position of such valve, the lower end of the latter bearing upon a closure 81' through a spring 32 surrounding the stem 26, being interposed between the valve and the upper part ofthe plate 18 within the opening 23. The opening 28 is of a peculiar form. As shown clearly in Figure 5 it has a considerable area as viewed at what may be calledits front side, while in Figures (3 and 7 which show opposite sides of the valve, the opening is shown more or less constricted. The opening being large at its middle length narrows into substantially a V-shape at opposite positions all for a purpose to appear later.

In Figure l the usual throttle-valve lever 32 is shown connected with which isthe operating rod 33. The throttle-lever 32 and the described forked-lever 27 are arranged to operate'in conjunction and to this end the extremity of the rod 33 may extend between the bifurcations of said arm 27. In said Figure 4 the broken lines indicate the starting position of the throttle for slowest engine speed, while the continuous lines indicate the full openin of the throttle for the highest engine speed. It is my purpose that in these two extremes of position of the throttle the very small or reduced terminals of the opening 28 ofthe valve 25 shall open toward the passage 29, being the positions shown in Figures 6 and 7 and that when the throttle is about half way open or where the lever 32 and arm 27 are substantially midway of the extreme positions shown, the opening 28 will be practically fully exposed to said passage 29.. The said valve is so set therefore within the bore 24; with reference to the throttle opening that these relationsare possible, the intentof which is the area of thepas sage leading from the radiatorthrough the conduits 8 and 17 will not be so great as to interfere with a proper through the carburetor for the throttle is opened wider for travel on level roads it is the purpose to open wider the intake from the radiator to supply a larger amount of vapor. Again. when added work that for instance in starting However, as the is placed on the engine, as in negotiating hills or traveling on heavy roads, and the throttle 1S opened wider 1t is again the purpose to restrict the flow of vapor from the radiator so that proper volumes of air can pass through the carburetor for the required explosive mixtures. i.

It is understood thatthesaid valve 25 rotates through a. distance equaling that between the extremes of closed and wide open throttle and that at and near the two extremes the narrowed terminals of the opening 28 are brought opposite the passage 29, the opening sage 29 is properly proportioned to the throttle opening and the work to be imposed upon the engine.

, Since a considerable space is maintained in the radiator 2 above the water there is always a sufiicient quantity of vapor to be drawn upon. And since, also, the tendency of the considerable suction through the conduits 8 and 17 is to tend to create a vacuum within the radiator space and air. can only enter the latter through the pipe 5 the air so inducted results in a forced water movement from the engine head through the connection 3, the upwardly directed nozzle 6 aiding in this movement and therefore setting up a marked forced water circulation throughout the water system and a consequent better cooling effect on the engine. 2

The check-valve 11 since opening to the air serves to drain water from the conduit 8 which may collect therein, the water readily being so formed otherwise that the amount of opening exposed to the said pasleaking past the ball 13 due to the light pres sure maintained by the spring 14 and yet the ball will readily close and be held due to suetion during engine operation. Again, back pressures from the manifold toward the radiator may escape through said valve.

Myarrangement since automatically controlled in the manual operation of the throttle provides against power loss by control. ling the vapor intake passage as described in accordance with the requirements for the best engine operation. a

I claim- 1. The combination with the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, its throttlearm, and an intake manifold, of a member interposed between said carburetor and mania spaced from the said outletof saidbore, arotatable tubular valve seated in the bore, the cavity of said valve communicating with the said passage, saidvalve having a port in its wall adapted to register with the outlet, and

an arm to operate the valve, said arm having connection with the throttle arm whereby in the movement of the latter the throttle and said valve are simultaneouslyoperated.

2. The combination with the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, its throttlearm, and an intake manifold, of a member adapted to be clamped between the carburetor and manifold including an'opening connecting the passage of each, and also including a bore and anoutlet therefrom leading toward and into the manifold, there being a passage in said member communicating with said bore, a source of water vapor with which said passage is connected, said passage at the bore being spaced from the outlet of said bore, a tubular valve seated in the bore, the cavity of said valve communicating with said passage, said valve having a port in its wall communicating with its cavity and spaced from the passage adapted to register with the opening, and an arm to operate the valve directly connected with the throttle-arm of the carburetor.

3. The combination with a carburetor of an internal combustion engine, its throttlearm, and an intake manifold, of amember clamped between the carburetor and manifold including an opening therethrough connecting the passages of the two latter, said member having a bore and an outlet leading into the passages of the said carburetor and manifold, a source of water vapor supply, there being a passage in the member connect- I ed to said source and with the bore of the member, a rotatable valve having a passage through it adapted to register with both the passage and the outlet, said valve adapted necting the of the said outlet, and an arm to operate the valve.

4. The combination with a carburetor of an internal combustion engine, its throttlearm, and an intake manifold, of a member clamped between the carburetor and manifold including an opening therethrough conpassages of the two latter, said member having a bore and an outlet leading into the manifold, a source of water vapor supply, there being a passage in the member connect ed to said source and with the bore of the member, a rotatable valve having a passage through it adapted to register with both the passage and outlet, said value adapted through adjustment thereof to vary the area of the said outlet, and an arm to operate the valve operatively connected with the throttlearm.

I 5. An article of manufacture comprising a plate to be placed in the. intake manifold of an internal combustion engine having an opening extending through it laterally and having a bore whose axis is disposed at an angle to the axis of the bore of the opening, there being an outlet from the bore of said plate opening upon one side of the latter, there also being a passage in said plate leading outside the same and communicating interiorly with the said bore in spaced relation to the said outlet of the latter, and a valve in said bore having a cavity adapted to connect the passage terminating in the said bore of the plate with the said outlet of said bore.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARCHIBALD THOMSON.

passages of the said carburetor and 

